Happy TravellerWelcome to Jérémie, the capital city of the GrandAnse department in Haiti. With a population of around 31,000, Jérémie is a relatively isolated city that is famous for its rich history and culture. The city is situated near the Grande-Anse River, which adds to its natural beauty. Jérémie is also known as the city of poets, as it is the birthplace of many writers, poets, and historians.
The history of Jérémie is fascinating and diverse. The city was the birthplace of French general Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, who is famous for fighting under Napoleon in Italy and Egypt. In 1964, during the Jérémie Vespers, the Haitian army and the Tonton Macoutes massacred 27 people in Jérémie. In the early 2000s, archaeologists uncovered an ancient synagogue of Crypto-Jews in the city, the only one found on the island. Jérémie has historically been inhabited by many mixed-race families of Jewish descent.
In 2010, a food aid convoy transporting aid delivered to Jérémie Airport through Jérémie encountered a hijacking attempt by 20 men, on 30 January 2010. Medical supplies have also been airlifted through the airport, due to the increase in medical needs from injured refugees arriving in the wake of the quake. In October 2016, Jérémie was almost completely destroyed by Hurricane Matthew as it went past Haiti.
Jérémie has plenty of facilities, including an airport, Jérémie Airport, which is also known as Numero Deux. Mission Aviation Fellowship conducts charter flights into the airport.
Jérémie is a city full of interesting locations and neighborhoods. Some of the notable ones include Beaudrouin, Campagne, Carrefour Sanon, Dayere, Duranton, La Forêt, Leopold, Lori, Marche Leon, Previle, Rampe des Lions, and Sassierrrve.
The city has many famous natives and residents, including the likes of Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, a general of the French Revolutionary Wars, who was born in Jérémie as the son of a French nobleman and his African slave, before independence. Dumas lived most of his life in France, where his father took him at age 18. He married and was the father of Alexandre Dumas, who became a noted and prolific author in the nineteenth century. Joseph Serge Miot, who was born in Jérémie, was the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince and was killed in the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Other famous residents include Emile Roumer, a poet, Modeste Testas, a formerly enslaved Ethiopian woman whose statue stands in Bordeaux commemorating the transatlantic slave trade, and Etzer Vilaire, a poet. Elisabeth Dieudonné Vincent, a free colored businesswoman, also called this city her home.
In conclusion, Jérémie is a city that has it all – from natural beauty to rich history and culture. Despite being relatively isolated, it is a hidden gem that should not be missed. Come and explore the city of poets and get lost in its fascinating history and charm!
